Kateri Reyes, Photographer/Owner Bellezza Photography

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Bridal Portraits

Hair: schedule your hair/makeup for first thing in the morning. Trust me almost all of my brides get held up with salon issues so you want to aim for 9am but no later than 10am for those appointments!

Makeup: If you are getting pro makeup done be sure to communicate to your stylist what you want- sometimes they go crazy and my girls end up having to take extra time to tone down heavy eyes and such:) Stronger makeup than you are used to is normal but no one wants to feel like a clown:) Follow the usual rules: heavy eye, soft lip or strong lip light eyes. So communicate as it goes on to make sure you get exactly what you want! And fake eyelashes rock- so don’t be afraid to try that!:) lol. Finally- make sure you stay hydrated and EAT! Its a fun day of pampering so make sure you take care of yourself so that you are fully ready to rock the shoot!

What to bring:

-A bridesmaid/friend or family member to assist you with the prep and to help with the dress!

-Bouquet (you can very simply hand-tie one from HEB, or do a silk one…many times my brides will do a silk and use it as their toss bouquet- and I can never tell that its fake:)

-Lipstick/gloss

-Extra bobby pins for those flyaway’s!

-Veil: you can wear it the whole time or just for occasional shots- its up to you. Make sure the stylist either hardwires it in place if you want to wear it the whole time OR leaves an easy spot to add/remove it if you plan to take it on and off.

-WATER!!

-Shoes: this is often the time my brides step into the creative zone and wear a fun or funky colored shoe for all or some of the shoot- whatever you want its up to you!:) Just don’t be afraid to go creative!

-Accessories: if you have additional accessories that you want to add- gloves, birdcage veil, other head piece/flowers/feathers, parasol, etc- just let me know so that we can make sure to add it at the right times.

If you are changing on location: please arrive BEFORE the scheduled shoot time so that you can be ready when the photographer arrives. If the venue is scheduled to close and you plan to change keep in mind too that we will need to wrap up the shoot in time for you to use the facilities. Keep your dress in the bag when moving it from place to place! It’s easier to Photoshop a wrinkle than deal with the stress of a stain!

As for traveling with your dress on, here are a few tips to keeping it clean:

-wash your car:)

-wash the interior doorwell of whichever passenger door you will be getting in and out of.

-Sometimes draping a sheet over the seat that can unfold onto the ground when you open the door will help eliminate any sort of dirt transfer. I will bring a white sheet for use in any posed shots that you will be sitting for. Finally, when you get that dress home, keep it in the bag. Its the best way to keep it protected!

Getting the shot:

This portrait experience is about capturing your true beauty and personality which is all the more radiant in that gorgeous gown!! So relax and enjoy the moment! Make sure the person you bring to assist you will enhance your experience and not add any stress:) Don’t be afraid to be creative- since this is a portrait session you can take a much more artistic approach to your styling than you may do on your actual wedding day! So embrace the style of your dress, your personality and the things that make you, YOU! So go ahead and stylize! Think of the period your dress style (modern/vintage/etc), the location you are shooting, as well as the accessories you add. You can rev up the session with the smallest detail enhancements!

RELAX. Did I mention that yet? Seriously- I can photoshop all kinds of problems but stress cannot be removed from your face:) I will coach you through your poses to make sure we get the absolute best look! Trust me as your photographer and together we will create art that you will enjoy forever!